Positron emission tomography changes management, improves prognostic stratification and is superior to gallium scintigraphy in patients with low-grade lymphoma: results of a multicentre prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
Positron emission tomography (PET) was evaluated in low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) to determine its impact on staging and management and to compare PET and gallium scans.


METHODS
PET resulted in management plan changes in 74 patients with untreated low-grade NHL stages I to III. Patient outcomes to 12 months were documented.


RESULTS
PET identified additional lesions in 50% of patients, led to a change in stage in 32%, and had a significant impact on management in 34%. Inferior progression-free survival was noted in patients with additional lesions detected by PET (p=0.001) and in the 28% of patients upstaged by PET to stage III or IV (p=0.024). In a subset of 16 patients undergoing both PET and gallium scans, PET was found to be superior.


CONCLUSIONS
PET has a major role in the management of low-grade NHL in addition to its proven role in aggressive lymphoma.
Scott
Andrew M
AM
Centre for PET, Austin Hospital, Studley Rd, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria 3084, Australia. andrew.scott@ludwig.edu.au
Gunawardana
Dishan H
DH
Wong
Joseph
J
Kirkwood
Ian
I
Hicks
Rodney J
RJ
Ho Shon
Ivan
I
Ramshaw
Jayne E
JE
Robins
Peter
P
D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18